Beet-harvesting machine.



A. s. M0332. BERT EARYESTNG MACHINEv APPLIUATION'PILED HAY 2a, i914.

Patented Mar. 9, 19115.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. S. MGORE. y

BERT HARVESTING MACHINE. Y ABPLIQATION FILED MAY 23, 1914.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m@ COI;

A. s. @ma BEET HARVESTING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 23, 1914,

v11,1 30,922, Patented Mar. 9, l1 915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

,66 T5 iwf/65 gg F39 a( E 26 E UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

ALBERT s. moons., or saam: ern. Manin, camino, canapa..

BEET-B'ARVESTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. e, 1915.

application aleta may as, 1914. serial an. 840,570.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. Moons, a' citizen of the United States,residing at S/ault Ste. Marie, in the Province of 0ntario and Dominionof Canada, havev invented certain new and useful Improvements inBeet-Harvesting Machines, of which the following is a. specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to beet harvesting machines, and' has for itsprimary object to provide a simple, novel, and eiiicient mechanism forautomatically severing the roots from the beets, and subsequentlycutting oit the tops or leaves as the machine moves'over the ground.

The invention has for a more particular object to provide means forloosening the soil around the beets, and traveling articulated grippersto engage the beet stalk and ,pull the same from the ground.

The invention has for an additional object to provide spaced endlesscarriers each having closely arranged resilient gripping fingers,relatively stationary means mounted above the carriers to receive thebeet top, a cutter to sever the top, and means for subsequently removingthe tops from the resilient gripping ingers of the carriers.

The invention has fora still further object to produce a machine of theabove cl` aractor which consists of comparatively few parts simplyformed and capable of manufacture at a small cost, said machinerequiring practically no attention on the part of the driver. andoperating to quickly harvest a large iield of beets and deliver the samein ma rlzetuble condition.

With the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as thedescription proceeds. the invention consists in certain constructions,combinations and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafterfully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to thefollowing description and accompanying drawing. in which- 'l Figure l isa side elevation of a beet harvesting machine constructed in accordancewith the preferred embodiment of my ine vention; Fig. 2 is a top planview thereof; Fig. 3 is a' section takenon the line 3--3 of Fig. l; Fig.d is ai section taken on the line A of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section takenon the line 5-5 ofuFig. 2; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section taken onthe line of idig.

2; Fig. 7is a detail elevationillustrating the mounting of the forwardsprocket wheels for the endless carriers Fig. S is an enlarged detailview showing the arrangement of the brushes and the means for adjustingthe same; Fig. 9 is a detail elevation showing the arrangement of thecleaning bar with respect to the endless carriers; Fig. 10 is afragmentary elevation illustrating the mounting of the hoes or plows;Fig. ll is adetaii perspective view of the guide member; Fig. l2 is adetail view showing the manner of mounting and adjusting the rearsupporting wheels. Fig.l 13 is a detail perspective view of the blankfrom which the gripping fingers are formed; Fig. 1.4 is a detailelevation of certain partsof 'the Inachine.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 designates the main frame of themachine which is of rectangular form in plan. and is preferablyconstructed of channel iron bars, though it will, of course, beunderstood that if 4desired this frame may be constructed of wood. Atthe forward end of said frame and upon one side thereof an auxiliaryelongated frame 6 is secured, to which the tongue or pole 7 is fixed atits rear end.

8 designates the draft attachments for the animals which are mountedupon this tongue. A forward transverse shaft 9 is j ournaled in suitablebearings mounted upon the auxiliary frame G and the inwardly offsetforward end 10 of one of the side bars of the main frame 5. Upon thisshaft 9 the traction wheel ll is Xed, said wheel being disposed hetweenthe parallel,longitudinal side bars of the frame 6.

Upon the forward end of each of the side bars of 'the main frame 5adjustable guides l are mounted. parallel bars l2 which are securedat`their lower ends upon a plate 01 casting 13 which is of U-sh ape formin cross section and is designed to receive a bearing lug or ear 14which is secured to the frame 5. A pivot bolt 15 extends through theU-shaped plate guide, provide thel rods indicated at 17 These guidesinclude spaced' CID which are secured respectively to one oi lthe barsl2 and the frame 5, and are connected by means of the turn buckle i8.The upper lends of the bars l2 are connected by a cap plate 1Q having anopening to receive a threaded rod Q0. T he lou/er end of this .rod isconnected to a bearing member 2l. mount ed for sliding movement upon thebars 12. A nut 22 is threaded upon the upper end of 'the rod 20, and itwill be obvious that by simply turning this nut, the rod 20 may be movedthrough the plate 19 and the bearing 2l raised or lowered as desired` lnthe adjustable bearing members the ends oi' a stationary transverseshaft or axle 23 are iied.f This aide is bent intermediate its ends toprovide the oppositely inclined portions 24. Upon these inclinedportions of the axle 23 the sprocket wheels 25 are loosely mounted torotate. A second transverse shaft or axle Q6 is also mounted at theapproximate center. of the frame 5 in the acljustable bearings 27) Thesebearings are adjusted [with respect to the guides Q8 in which the sameare mounted in the same manner as the forward bearings 2l, though theguides :28 are fixed upon the longitudinal :frame bars and lare notY,adjustable with relation thereto. Upon the shaft or axle 26 the spacedsprocket Wheels 29 are secured. Thespolies of these sprocket`\vheels areoutwardly inclined so that they Will not interere With the free movementor travel or" the beets to be hereinafter lreferred to. The shaft 26 isequipped with an additional sprocket wheel 30 which is connected by anendless drive chair 3l to a similaisprocket jivheel 82 which is securedupon the traction wheel shaft 9. The corresponding front and rearsprocket Wheels Q5 and are connected by the endlesschains These chainsare of' the ordinary linl; type and to each of the outer link plates onthe inner edge ot' the chain, a sheetsteel plate Si is secured. Thisplate is longitudinally cut or slit to provide l a plurality of'resilient gripping lingers said gripping fingers being upwardly and lycurved from the attaching plate Si ited at 3G and having their extremiti.s arply bent in a reverse or outward direction as at 37. ln this mannerit will be seen that there is proi'ided'upon each of the chains, what isin effect, a continuous artiein lated resilient gripper, the inner freeends 37 ott-he spring lingers carried by the respec tive chains beingdisposed contiguous to each other and spaced just a sufficient distanceapart so as to admit of the uninterrupted movement of the chains. ltwill be apparent that by simply adjusting the Iforward bearing guidesupon the supporting ears or lugs lll, the sprocket chains 33 may beproperly tightened so that the spring gripping ngcrs 35 will eno'age thebeet stalks and pull the same from the groundin the forward movement ofthe machine, which operation will be later more fully referred to. Atransverse shaft 38 is journaled in bearings 39 on the side bars of theframe 5, said shaft being arranged rearwardly of the sprocket wheels 29.Upon this shaft- 38 opposed brushes are adjustably mounted. Each ofthese brushes includes a plurality of relatively movable, yieldably heldbrush sections 40.

l1 designatesa sleeve or hub which is longitudinally adjustable upon theshaft l38 and is rigidly held in its adjusted position by means or" asetscrew 42. This sleeve is pro` vided u on its periphery with aplurality of pairs o ears 43 which are arranged in staggered relation.Between each pair o ears one end of an arm e'lLl is pivotally mounted.These arms extend longitudinally upon and project beyond one end of thesleeve, theother ends of said arms being angularly disposed and fixed tothe backs of the respective brush sections e0. Leaf springs l5corresponding in number to the arms 44 are also secured at one o theirends upon the sleeve 41, the other or free end of said springs bearingupon the respective arms ed and yieldably holding the brush sectionsagainst out-Ward movement. By simply sliding the sleeves or hubs 4l uponthe shaft 38, the brushes may be adjusted bodily with respect to eachother and the individual sections of each brush are held against inwardmovement toward the corresponding section of the other brush by anadjustable collar 46 which carries the setscrew 47 for bindingengagement with the shaft 38. The sections of the respective brushes areangular-ly disposed with relation to each other by simply adjusting thecollar 46 against the pivotally mounted arms 4l. Thus it will be'obvious that the angle of `the brush sections may be changed ascircumstances may require.

AUpon the rear end of: the main trame 5 a transverseshatt 48v is journaled. in the bearings 49. Thisshaft is connected to the shaft 26 bymeans of an endless drive chain 5G and chain 51 also connects the shafti8 to the shaft 38, whereby the cleaning brushesl are rotated. Upon theshaft i8 a. frame is loosely mounted at its lower end. Upon rthe upperend of this frame the guard housing 54 is scoured, said housing being ofsubstantially sector shape in plan and at its forward end being inwardlycurved as indicated at 55. This curved edge of the guard is disposedcontiguous to the resilient gripping lingers carried by the chains 33,While the outer side portions ot thd guardnormally rest upon therespective chains which pass over the wheels Q.. The guard housing 54,centrally of the curved edge thereof, is formed with a recess or openingindicated at 56. j

57 designates a Shaft jourualed in the liti frame 52. Upon the upper endof this shaft which is journaled in the guard housing. 54 a cutting disk58 is secured, said disk being provided upon its periphery with cuttingteeth 59. These teeth as they pass or traverse the opening or recess 56engage the roots of the beet and sever the same from the body thereof.The lower end of the shaft 57 is provided with a pinion 60` which mesheswith a bevel gear 6l fixed upon the transverse shaft e8.v To the upperends .of the adjusting rods 27 for the rear sprocket shaft bearings 27',the vertical bars (32 are secured. The lower ends of these bars arefixed to the respective bearings 27. Upon these adjustable bars 6'2 thetopping mechanism is mounted. The bars 62 are braced by transverse bars63 uponr which a, longitudinally-extending, obliquelyeinclined plate 64is supported. This plate is vlocated imme-y diately above the upperstretches of the chains or carriers and extends transversely across theopposed series of gripping fingers 35. The rear end of the plate (Si ispreferably curved as shown, and at the forward extremity of said curvedportion, the plate 64 is provided with an inclined slot G5 which opensat its rear end upon the lower edge of said plate. IThe forward end ot'the slot 65 communicates with an enlarged pocket or recess 6G formed inthe plate which is designed to receive the stalksI of the beettops.

67 designates a reciprocatory cutting saw which is mounted in a suitableguard or housing (3S secured upon one end of the plate G4 and braced bymeans of the inclined bar (if) which is fixed at its outer end to one-4ot' the movable bars 62. This saw is actuated through the medium of a.pitman TO, the outer end oi which is eccentrically connected to a disk7l mounted upon the` upper end of a shaft or arbor 72 jour naled in atransversely-disposod plate 73 which is connected to the plate (i4, andto `one of the bars (32. Upon the lower end oi the shaft 72 a bevelpinion 73 is secured which meshes with the bevel `gear 74 carried b vone ofthe cham sprocket wheels 29. A beet-receiving chute 75 isconnected to onef side` oi" the obliqucly inclined plate G4 at theopening (3(3 therein`r and issadapted to receive thc beets after thetops 'have been severed and discharge vthe same upon the ground. lt is,of course, understood that the teeth oi' the saw G7 traverse the openingor pocket 66 in the plate (Si and sever the beet tops which are heldtherein. In order to remove the'beet tops from the gripping lingers 35in the forward travel of the upper stretches or" the chains 33, lprovide a bar 75 which is fixed at one of its ends to the lguard orhousing 68 and is curved forwardly and downwardly between the opposedgripping lingers on the respective chains or carriers.

' The lower end of this bar is suitably secured to a directing'plate 76which is bent or convoluted to produce a plurality of troughs orchannels indicated at 77. This 'directing plate is outwardly andrearwardly inclined and has its lower edge suitably secured to olleoithe side bars of the frame 5.

In ordei to loosen or disturb the soil around the roots oi' the beetssothat they vmay be pulled from the ground, I provide adjustable hoes orplows 78. These plows includel 'a beam 79, one end ofA which is adaptedto beiitted into a channel or groove provided in an adjustable clampingdisk 80.. A bracket member 8l is formed with radially extending ribsupon one of its arms for engagement in corresponding grooves in thefacevof the disk 80 as indicated at 81. A

bolt 82 extends through an arm of' the bracket member and the disk 80,an.`D is provided'upbn one end .with a suitable nut wherebythe disk maybe clamped .upon the bracket in its adjusted position. .Thebraclvetmember 8l is also transversely adjustable upon the forward bar of theframev 5 and is adapted to be rigidly secured in its adjustable positionby the bolt 83 which may be inserted through any one of a series ofopenings 8% in the transverse frame bar. It will thus be seen thattheplows 78 maybe vertically and transversely adjusted with respect to theframe so as to position said plows or hoes for proper engagement withthe soil adjacent to the beet row. Means are also provided for directingthe beet stalks to the 'forward spaced ends of the louer stretches ot'the articulatedgrippers. To this end, I provide the spaced parallel rods85, the `foru'ard endsV of which are mounted upon one ofthe arms of ayoke 87 in which the forward supporting wheel 8b' for the frame 5 isjournaled. This arm of the yoke is formed with a series of openings 88tof receive the bolts of the spaced clamping devices 89. These clampingdevices are ot' the ordinary type and each includes spaced platesbetween which the respective rods 'are adapted to be arranged. Theserods 85 are also connected at a point intermediate of their ends by avertical rod 9G` which is adjustable -in ay guide lug 91 secured uponthe forward transverse bar Yot thetrame 5. setscrew 92 is threaded insaid lug for binding engagement aga-inst the frame 5 is also supportedat its rear end by the spaced wheels 98, each of which. is journalcdbetween arms oi? a yoke 9i. The upper endet' this yoke is equipped witha stud axle 95 which is ldo-sely mounted in. a bearing 96 secured uponthe frame.' The Wheels disposed stationary element arranged above saidgrippers to'direct the beet tops to said cutter.

Ll. In a beet harvesting machine, opposed endless traveling gripipersadapted to engage the beet stalks in the forward movel ment ofthemachine and pull the beets from the ground, a transversely disposedreciprocatory 'cutter arranged vabove the upper stretches of saidgrippers, and an obliquely disposed stationary element provided Withmeans to receiveA the beet stalks and constrict the same and direct said'stalks to the cutter'in the movement of the grippers.

5. ln a beet harvesting machine, opposed endless traveling grippersadapted to engage the beet stalks in the forward movement of the machineand pull the b'eets from @the ground, brushes arranged at the rear endsof the grippers to engage and clean Athe beets, means for cutting theroots from the beets, a reciprocating cutter arranged above thetraveling grippers to sever the beet tops, and relatively stationarymeans for directing the beet tops to said cutter.

6. ln a beet harvesting machine, opposed endless traveling grippersadapted to grip the beet stalks in the forward movement of the machineand pull the beets from the ground, the beets being carried rearwardlyby Ithe lower stretches of the grippers and then forwardly and upwardlyupon the upper stretches thereof, cutting mechanism pivotally mounted atthe rear end of the grippers to sever d; e roots from the beets, andadditional cuttl 1g mechanism arranged above the upper stretches of thegrippers to cut the tops Jfrom the beets.

7. ln a beet harvesting machine, endless traveling carriers providedwith a, multiplicity of closely arranged spring lingers for resilientgripping engagement upon opposite sides of the beet stalks, an obliquelydisposed reciprocatory cutter arranged above the upper stretches of saidcarriers intermediate of their ends, a stationary element provided witha slot open at one end to receive the beet stalks whereby the same areconstricted, said stalks being directed to the cutter by said statimiaryelement in the movement ot the carriers, and a vertically disposedstationary bar extending downwardly between the opposed Yseries ofgripping lingers to remove the beet tops therefrom, l

ln a beet harvesting machine, endless traveling carriers to mutuallyengage the beet stalks and carry the same Erst rearwardly and thenforwardly. means arranged at the rear ends of the carriers to sever theroots of the beets, a movable cutting member arranged above the upperstretches of the carriers, and a plate extending oblique-,ly across thecarriers, said plate having aslot to receive the beet stalks and directthe same to said cutter'whereby the tops are severed from the beets.

9. In a beet harvesting machine, opposed endless carriers cach having aseries of gripping 'elements for engagement `vith the beet stalks, saidcarriers operating to first carry the beets rearwardly and th enupwardly and forwardly, cutting mechanism arranged at ,the rear ends ofrthe carriers to sever the Aroots from-the beets, said mechanism beingmounted for bodily movement With respect to the carriers, cuttingmechanism centrally arranged over the upper stretches oi' the carriersand including a reciprocatory cutting member, relatively stationarymeans tordirect'intr the b'ect stalks to said cutting mechanism besevered','inieans for subsequently removing the beet tops'from thegripping members o f the carriers, and additional means for adjustingthey 4carriers vertically to position the lower stretches thereof with'respect to the ground.`

10. In a beet harvesting machine, an endless carrier adapted to receiveand convey the beets, first rearwardly and then for- Wardly, apivotally-mounted support arranged at the rear end of the carrier, arotary cutting disk mounted upon said support, a guard for said diskhaving an opening to receive the beet roots; said support being movedwith respect to the carrier by the engagement of the beets with saidguard, and means for operating said cutting disk.

l1. ln a beet harvesting machine, an endless carrier 'for the beets, abodily movable rotatably-mounted cutting dislr arranged at the rear endof said carrier,` the beets being received by said carrier in a forwardmovement of the machine and first conveyed rearwardly to said cuttingdisk, means for preventing the engagement ot the beet proper by saidcutter and directing the root of theA beet to the cutter, and additionalcutting mechanism arranged above lthe carrier to cut g movement.

l2. In a beet harvesting machine, an endless carrier adapted to receivethe beets and first convey the same rearwardly and then liomf-fardly.r abodily -movabvle rotatablymounted cutting disk` arranged at the rear orthe carrier, a guard therefor with which. the beets are adapted toengage and whereby the roots of the beets are directed into engagementwith the lcutting ered, means for rotating said disk, and additionalcutting mechanism arranged labove the carrier to subsequent! y cut thetops from the beets in their forward movement.

13. ln a beet harvesting machine, an endless carrier adapted to receivethe beets and first convey the same rearwardly and then forwardly, abodily -movable rotatablymounted cutting disk arranged at the rear 'fsevered, means tional cutting mechanism arranged ebove end of theemfrier, e guercl therefor with which the beets are adapted to engageand whereby the roots of the beets are directed into engagement with thecutting disk and. for rotating said disk, eddie the carrier tosubsequently eut the tops from the beets in theiiforward movementa enrelatively stationary means for removing the lbeet tops from thecarrie?.

and adapted for gripping engagement with' the beet stalks, meansarranged attlle fear insieme ends et the Camiers to first clean thebeets, means for subsequently seveiing the roots, additional meansarranged above the eerriers`7oi" inally cutting the tops from the beets,e. discharge chute te eeeive the beets and depeeit the seme apen theground, e bar extending between the two series ,of gripn ping fingers teremove the beet tops there from, and ineens for receiving the beet topsand directing the same downwardly and outwardly from one side of themachine.

n. testimony whereof I hereunto alix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

ALBERT S. MOORE. Witnesses Romein: M. Fem?

